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Home » Floyd Mayweather and Gervonta Davis braced for agonizing split

Floyd Mayweather and Gervonta Davis braced for agonizing split

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Floyd Mayweather is set to lose Gervonta Davis before the lightweight star competes in the most significant event of his career.

Davis has sent out cryptic messages for some time about his future. This week he made it crystal clear.

“Tank,” said directly to Floyd Mayweather and Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe: “When are you all going to send me the termination papers?”

It’s the first time Davis moving on looked to be certain. On the previous occasions they argued publicly, Ellerbe has always snapped back, or Floyd has been able to calm down the commotion.

Judging by the latest ongoing, that won’t be the case this time. It seems Davis will be branching out on his own and promoting himself from now on.

Before his termination demand, Davis had accused Ellerbe of backing his opponent to knock him out in the Roland Romero fight at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

Gervonta Davis

“The love was gone when I knocked Rollie out,” stated Davis. “The crazy thing is I was other my mom’s house the other night, and she told me how Leonard was telling people how Rollie was going to knock me out,

“My uncles that started me in boxing overheard him. Go look at the fight and watch my mom,” he added.

It wasn’t the only incident surrounding the Romero fight, which Davis almost didn’t want to take.

“My contract is up. That’s why they want me to fight this clown [Rolando Romero] so bad.”

Ellerbe has championed Davis on social media for many months despite taking a barrage of questions over Pay Per View numbers and ticket sales.

Leonard Ellerbe defense

Floyd’s right-hand man has responded in kind.

“The last thing your hating a** should be concerned with is how much Tank makes. Just know he makes way more than his competition, and it’s not anywhere close.

“Let’s be clear, from 130-140. You have some very good fighters who are boxing stars. But let the record reflect there’s only one superstar from 130-140 who’s calling all the shots, and he goes by the name of Gervonta Davis,” added Ellerbe.

In addition, Mayweather has opened up in the past and seemed resigned to losing his star performer.

“Nothing lasts forever. I will always love Tank. I like him, love him and look at him as a son. He has to do what’s best for him,” Mayweather told Fighthype.com.

“I feel like I’ve done a great job thus far, building him and putting him in good fights, great fights. He’s steadily growing. He’s steadily learning. I’m proud of him.”

Control your career

Former Money Team member Ishe Smith, who Floyd guided to an unlikely world title, urged Davis to leave months ago. Smith believes Davis has served his apprenticeship and should now be brokering his own deals, as Floyd did before him in his bouts.

“Being a star and a PPV star are two different things. Tank needs to promote himself and instruct Al [Haymon] to make those fights across the street.

“Then, he will be a major PPV star. Take the Floyd Mayweather blueprint,” said Smith of the Baltimore fighter.

“Tank is a superstar, and he has the goods, but he’s been fighting opponents everyone knew the outcome before the fight even started.

“When is he going to step up? Asking as a fan.”

Despite interest from Oscar De La Hoya, it’s not in the make-up for Davis to go elsewhere. WBN understands there will be a deal to keep him on Showtime Pay-Per-View under his GTD banner.

De La Hoya said: “I’m ready to make Gervonta Davis a multi-million dollar offer to fight Ryan Garcia in November.

“I’m willing to make this fight available on DAZN and Showtime PPV. Split it right down the middle and let’s make this fight happen,” he told FightHype.com.

Floyd Mayweather split

That Davis vs Garcia event will happen in the coming months should the lightweight champion avoid jail time at a February hearing.

The 28-year-old is set to compete in January first, then attend trial before mapping out a massive clash with Garcia, probably in Las Vegas.

With 25 KOs from 27 wins, the undefeated Pound for Pound contender has the world at his fists. His fans follow him anywhere he goes, so that won’t be a problem.

The only potential bump in the road is if Mayweather and Ellerbe fight his departure. Furthermore, a messy and venomous split could come down the line if that transpires.

The views expressed in this article are the opinions of experienced boxing writer Phil Jay. Twitter @PhilJWBN. Follow WBN: Facebook, Insta, Twitter